The Fool's Journey
by Eurofighter
Summary: This follows on from episode six of season two; the greatest Strike Witches episode there has or ever will be - yeah, I'm calling it now - and stems from comments on /u/ regarding Sanya's reaction  - you know the one.
1. Chapter 1

This follows on from episode six of season two; the greatest Strike Witches episode there has or ever will be (yeah, I'm calling it now), and stems from comments on /u/ regarding Sanya's reaction (you know the one). The title refers to the first card in a tarot deck, and his journey as told by the other major arcana; the Fool, meaning beginnings, but also faith in things and the pursuit of desires. That said, I have no occultist leanings myself; it's merely a convenient plot device.

**The Fool's Journey**

**Chapter One**

Eila stayed silent in Sanya's arms all the way to the ground, staring at her feet. The embrace felt a rigged necessity, the adrenaline high from their seemingly flirtatious ascent doused in an instant. When they landed she was the first to stow her Striker unit, heading straight inside the base without looking back, avoiding the runway victory celebration.

She paused in the doorway, looking back as hugs were piled upon Sanya and Miyafuji. The pain shot across her features for a moment; a grimace, and she kicked the wall. Sanya looked about from across the tarmac, presumably for her. Their eyes met, and Eila looked away.

In the mess hall Eila raided the refrigerator, setting herself in the corner with a bowl of strawberries. She ate a few before pushing them aside and fixating on the patterns in the wooden table's grain. Sanya was surprisingly fast to follow her inside, flanked by Hartmann. Both headed over, standing across the table from her.

Eila didn't look up, but she could feel Hartmann's eyes on her. This was one of those uncharacteristic bouts of seriousness that Sanya often claimed to be witness to.

"Eila…" Sanya's voice was oh so quiet. She sounded upset. Eila frowned and kept her eyes low.

"Sanya thinks something's wrong, Eila. She's really quite upset, and I don't like that, and I would think you wouldn't either." Hartmann took Sanya's hand and sat them down opposite Eila.

"I was hungry."

"Why are you being like this?" Sanya cried out all of a sudden, clearly on the verge of tears. "You're acting like you did when we first met!"

"I'm tired. I'm going to bed." Eila stood and headed for the door.

"What about the strawberries?" Hartmann eyed them longingly.

"They're off. Bitter." And she was gone.

Sanya moved to stand and follow her, but Hartmann placed a hand on her shoulder. "Give her a little while."

Sanya sat back down and stared at the table. Hartmann wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into her. Sanya rested her head on her good friend's shoulder. "Thank you, Erica."

"It's no trouble," replied the blonde fighter ace, helping herself to a strawberry. "Hey, they taste just fine."

Eila lay on her bed in the dark, staring into space. "Like when we first met, huh?" she whispered to herself, turning onto her side.

# **Flashback** #

Eila sat up in her bed and looked to the clock; there was time to do a daily reading. She reached over to her bedside table and snatched up her tarot cards, shuffled the deck twice, held it between her hands and paused.

"Give me the guidance I need for the day." She'd stopped saying please a long time ago.

Eila placed the deck face down in front of her, cut it to the left and restacked it. She paused again, then reached out and flipped the top card. Her heart skipped a beat, and she stared for several moments. This was a first and statistically massively overdue; she'd turned over the Lovers major arcana. Eila felt her face redden.

"I don't believe you." She turned another card, knowing she shouldn't.

The Empress stared her in the face. "Seriously, those two together?" she whispered, blushing bright red, knowing the combined meaning.

She reshuffled the cards quickly and headed for the briefing room. She'd be early, but she wanted a chance to talk to Wing Commander Minna before the others turned up.

"I'm worried about Eila." Minna's voice came from the open doorway, and Eila hung back in the hall to listen.

"Oh? Why?" Squadron Leader Sakamoto replied between sips of tea.

"When she first arrived she wasn't social, and I thought it was just homesickness, and that it would get better with time, but since then she's cut herself off even further from the group. When we're not on a mission she shuts herself up in her room, just coming out for meals or training, and has only the bear minimum to do with anyone else."

"I haven't noticed anything."

"That's because you're always working. And I wish you would free up some time to have fun with someone else, too."

Mio grinned from behind her teacup, ensuring it obscured the slipup. "Well, Eila needs to learn that human interaction is about giving as well as taking. I think she deliberately refuses to understand others. She knows she needs to be flexible, but she won't. It's arrogance."

"Oh, it's not arrogance, I'm sure... it's just how Eila protects herself. She's very lonely, but very afraid of showing her real feelings or opening up to others. It's not shyness, she jokes about when she must – she even groped me! It's something else. I wish there was some way I could convince her that she can trust us. I'm just afraid it would push her even further away."

"You should talk to her. You're very good at the motherly type things."

"You really think so?"

"I do."

Eila burst in. She'd heard enough. "Commander Minna!"

"Yes?" Minna jumped a little in surprise. Mio stared with an interested eye.

"Are there any new recruits on the base today?"

By the look on Minna's face, this was not a question she had expected. "Why, yes. Did your cards tell you that?"

"Who? An engineer?"

"No, a new witch. I've heard she's quite shy, so I was going to ask you to show her around to help her settle in." She exchanged glances with the Squadron Leader.

"A girl?" Shock flashed across Eila's features.

"Unless you've heard of a male witch?" Mio laughed. Eila didn't look like she appreciated the joke.

"You can't ask me to show her around!"

"Yes we can," replied Mio. "We're your superior officers."

"Please!" Eila looked desperate.

"If Commander Minna thinks it's a good idea, I think it's a good idea. It's for your own good."

Eila shot them dirty looks and stormed out.

"Report to me at ten hundred hours for guide duty, Pilot Officer," Mio called after her. "Dismissed!"


	2. Chapter 2

So let's up and skip to the secks, amirite?

**Chapter Two**

Eila was as late to the briefing as she dared be. Sakamoto's scowl told her she'd pushed her luck, but Minna shook her head and saved her a lecture. Realising she might actually like the commander Eila took the empty seat between Hartmann and Lucchini, shooting them both warning looks and crossed her arms over her chest.

Hartmann, who just seconds ago had been draped across Barkhorn's shoulder, yawning loudly, and generally annoying her countrywoman as much as possible, had straightened up the moment Eila had entered the room, and now leaned back in her chair, a defeated look on her face. "Something wrong, Eila? You look grumpier than usual."

"Nothing." Eila scowled at the floor.

"Suit yourself," said Hartmann, looking bored. "Ah, I'm so hungry."

"Well, if you got up when I told you to, you'd have time to eat breakfast," countered Barkhorn, annoyed.

"Oh, I didn't know you cared, Trude." Mischievousness crept back into Hartmann's voice. "You're so sweet."

"I don't – I just don't want you whining to me all through training," replied Barkhorn, folding her arms. "Humph."

"I'm hurt!" Hartmann stifled a grin, and pouted, feigning discontent.

"Ok, witches." Sakamoto clapped her hands. "We're receiving a new recruit today, a transfer from the Orussian Air Force, 586th fighter regiment, Alexandra Litvyak. I want everyone on their best behaviour – Hartmann, Lucchini; I'm looking at you – no harassing the girl."

Lucchini, who was making a groping motion with her hands, much to Hartmann's approval, and thus Trude's disapproval, stopped and returned her hands to her lap with a whine. "But it's traditional…"

Minna took over. "She's due to check in at the base anytime now, so we'll get the introductions over with here and then I want everyone to clear off to training; I've heard she's a little shy, so I don't want you all overcrowding her. That is, everyone except Eila, who gets special dispensation to skip morning drills so she can show Alexandra the base."

Perrine piped up. "What can she do?"

"According to reports, she can detect and manipulate radio waves from over great distances, vastly surpassing even our base's radar station."

"So nothing useful then," commented Perrine, quietly, seeming pleased.

"I shouldn't need to tell you the importance of radar in aerial battles, Perrine," interjected the Squadron Leader.

"Oh, of course not, Major Sakamoto!" Perrine backpedalled.

There came a knock at the door and everyone turned to look.

"Ah, hello…" said a new voice, softly.

Eila, planning to nonchalantly raise her eyes for a moment to survey the newcomer, couldn't help acting otherwise. Her heart skipped a beat and she jolted her head upright.

Skin as white as Orussian snow, deep emerald green almond eyes, flowing hair pale grey, rapidly reddening cheeks… Eila's eyes dropped at once to petite breasts, then again to slender legs, wrapped in alluring black tights. Lightheaded, Eila quashed a powerful impulse to dash over and cup her hands over the girl's chest, to hear the sweet mew of surprise and embarrassed resistance that would surely follow. Her heart continued to beat at an elevated rate, blood thumping in her ears, and she suddenly feared it might be audible to the others.

The girl looked around the room and seeing all eyes on her, noting the intensity of the white haired girl's stare, blushed brightly, and looked at her feet. "The guards at the gate told me to come here…" she trailed off.

Hartmann's grin showed teeth. "What subtlety," she whispered in Eila's ear, and Eila recovered herself, returning to her former pout, denying to herself the potency of these new unwelcome feelings.

"You must be Alexandra," said Minna, and smiled warmly. "Welcome to the 501st Joint Fighter Wing."

"I- I prefer 'Sanya', please," replied Sanya.

"Sanya," whispered Eila to herself, splitting the syllables and giving them a musical ring. Hartmann was trying to imply something via sideward glances, winks and elevated eyebrows, which Eila refused to entertain, settling on a stony expression.

Minna and Sakamoto introduced themselves and then the others before herding them all out, Minna remaining for a moment.

"Sanya, this is Eila. She's going to show you around, and make sure you get a good meal, right, Eila?" Minna verbally prodded Eila. "Don't let the grim demeanour fool you, Sanya, she's really quite kind…"

"Yes, yes, if I must," replied Eila reluctantly and extended a hand, giving a limp handshake and failing to make eye contact. "Follow me." She left, Sanya hurrying after her. Minna sighed.

Sanya followed in silence through unfamiliar corridors before plucking up the courage to talk. "Eila…"

"What," replied Eila, gruffly, not turning her head or slowing her pace.

"Where do you come from?"

"Suomus."

"Cold, like Orussia…"

"I guess."

"Do you miss it?"

"Not really," Eila lied.

"Oh…" Sanya's face fell, and she added, voice barely audible. "I miss my home."

"There were Neuroi and there were people," Eila added, bitterly. "Here there are Neuroi and people. At least it's warmer."

"I… guess…" This seemed to upset Sanya. Eila felt a little bad. "…what power do you have?"

Unable to pass an opportunity to boast, Eila stopped and turned. "I can see the near future."

"Wow…"

Pride swelled beneath Eila's chest, and the combative edge to her voice was temporarily forgotten. "I've never used a shield in combat. I can tell when and where the enemy is going to shoot, so I know to dodge before they've even fired! So, of course, I've never been and never will be shot down."

"That's impressive!" Sanya seemed awed. "Can you tell people's future's too?"

"I can," replied Eila, boastfully, and then remembered the morning's reading. She turned and began to walk again. "To the mess hall."


	3. Chapter 3

Considering: AU w/ jetfighter pilot witches. Justification: Sanya sat in a Su-47. Google that plane now! Its sex, personified. Or rather, planeified.

So I revised the chapter. For those that have forgotten from its altogether brief mention in the anime, Sanya's biggest concern, certainly before meeting Eila, was reuniting with her family, particularly her father. Much of her concern stems from her doubt that she will even meet him again, and here she (thinks) Eila has a way to answer this for certain.

Hopefully the tarot scene will feel more justified and the transition to the hangar less rushed. Though, any Eila ulterior motive to the previous bedroom scene probably wouldn't have dawned on Sanya, if it existed, considering Eila's outward cold and erratic behaviour.

Oh, and, this is still a flashback. A return to the present will be marked.

**Chapter Three**

"We have vegetable soup," said Eila, head in the refrigerator. "It's cold."

"That's fine."

Eila breathed a sigh of relief; she didn't dare try to light the industrial sized stove unattended. She looked through cupboards and drawers until she had found both a bowl and a spoon; having avoided the kitchen since she arrived, it took a fair amount of rummaging to find either. Luckily, someone had left the ladle in the cooking pot, saving her from further displaying her culinary ineptitude.

She dropped the bowl in front of Sanya, soup splashing up the sides, and slumped down opposite. Eila propped her chin on the palm of her right hand and scowled into the space beside Sanya's head.

Sanya looked at the soup. Large, soggy chunks of carrot, leek at potato floated about in a grey liquid of unappetizingly irregular consistency. She readied herself and sipped at a spoonful.

The girl had willpower, Eila noted; the only outward sign of the flavourful assault small wrinkles forming beside her eyes. "The Squadron Leader made it. Sakamoto isn't much of a cook. Only Commander Minna eats it, and seems to enjoy it too." Eila's stomach rumbled. "The rest of us are living off emergency rations until she finishes it. No cooking allowed while there's food left over."

Sanya ate in silence, deep in thought. She made it halfway to the bottom of the bowl before giving up. Eila grinned.

"Eila… please, will you read my future?"

Eila's eyes widened in surprise. "Wh- what?"

"I… want to know if I'll meet someone again…"

"Well… that's not something I can answer. I use tarot cards to tell the distant future, and they can't answer questions like that. You can only ask the tarot to guide you toward that goal."

"Then, would you ask what I should do?"

"It's a complicated reading. We don't have time." Eila's voice was colder than intended.

"Oh…" Sanya looked crestfallen.

A pang of guilt stirred something long dormant inside Eila; unsolicited generosity. "I… suppose we might be able to fit in a small, general reading and still finish the tour on time. Nothing big, ok? Just a card or two."

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

"I… guess. It's no big deal," Eila said to her shoes. "My cards are in my room. I'll go and get them. Wait here."

Eila rushed back to her room, clambered over her bed, picked her cards up from the bedside table, and was back out the door before it had swung shut. She paused to catch her breath outside the mess hall, unsure why she had run all the way. Embarrassed she might seem overeager; she stood about for long enough to disguise her rush as a leisurely walk. Satisfied the impression was given she didn't particularly care about this favour, Eila brushed nonexistent creases from her uniform, and headed in. She sat back at the table and checked the cards over, silent for several seconds.

"Those cards are precious to you, aren't they? I can tell… from the way you hold them."

Eila looked down at them, wondering. It was true; she held them like they were made from something much more valuable than card. "I've never really thought about it," Eila lied again. "I was given them a long time ago, but I could always get more. There's nothing special about these cards. The ability to read them comes from the person. So, one shouldn't get attached to them, right?" She held them out. "Here, you should shuffle them."

Sanya took them carefully, cradling them in her hands, and slowly set about shuffling them in unpractised but caring fashion. It took her a minute of concentrated effort to achieve what Eila could with a few seconds of absentmindedness. Eila looked on with puzzled interest.

"I'm finished."

"Now cut them."

"Cut them?"

"Split the deck into two or three portions and swap them over." Eila waited. "Ok, now hold the cards out."

Sanya held out her hands, and Eila clasped them between her own, surprising Sanya enough for her to jump a little. Shy and unfamiliar with tarot proceedings, Sanya said nothing in resistance. Eila knew she could have simply taken the cards and performed the next step herself, but the excuse the situation presented; to take hold of Sanya's hands, was too perfect to pass up. They were soft and warm, and Eila's mind soon started buzzing with unwanted thoughts; she told herself the connection would perhaps assist the reading, though remained unconvinced.

"We'll do a daily reading because you only check the first card and don't need to do a spread; I mean… lay lots of cards out…" She looked up into Sanya's eyes for the second time and couldn't help but blush. Sanya looked away.

"Eila…" Sanya's voice jolted Eila back to reality. "…what next?"

"Oh, ah, we ask your inner guide a question." Eila closed her eyes and composed herself. "Please give Sanya the guidance she needs for the day." _Did I just say 'please'? It's just some witch's inner guide. I don't even baby my own._

Eila took the deck from Sanya, put it down upon the table, and took a card from the top, holding it so only she could see.

"Oh." Eila stared at the card; the Lovers, mind racing, head throbbing. Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead.

"What is it?" Sanya worried. "Is it bad?"

"Uh… no, it's not bad. Just, I drew this card earlier. Twice in a row is very unlikely. See, the corner is nicked. Shuffling wouldn't work very well on it, so it can't be trusted." Eila moved the card to hide it too fast for Sanya to focus. "It was an old deck, anyway. Who cares, right? I'll just get another." Sanya was still looking at the hand that held the card, so Eila tore it in half, scooped up the rest of the deck, and dropped them all into a pocket.

"I'm… so sorry," said Sanya after a pause, head hung. She looked so miserable Eila almost regretted her feint, for more than ruining her cards for some invented damage.

"It's no big deal. I said I didn't care about that cards, remember? They probably got damaged last night when I fell asleep without putting them away." Eila jumped up off the bench, looking for some distraction. "Come on, I'll show you the hangars. They're probably stowing your equipment right about now."

Eila walked in front, again not looking back but this time listening for footsteps to ensure Sanya was still with her. Outside the sun was already high in the sky; Sanya squinted uncomfortably and edged a few steps closer to Eila, eager to hurry back under cover, but still maintaining a distance; she had the impression Eila didn't want to be with her. Their walk down to the hangars took them down onto the cobblestone of the pier. Seagulls wheeled overhead in search of food.

Barkhorn and Hartmann were sitting on crates, talking, looking toward the sea, eating emergency field rations, mess kits in their laps. Occasionally Hartmann would throw a biscuit crumb, much to Barkhorn's annoyance and vocal behest, and the birds would swarm around them.

When she saw them approaching, Hartmann jumped up and skipped over, an evil glint in her eyes. Barkhorn looked on vigilantly, untrusting.

"Hello again, Sanya," she said, circling her like prey. "I hope Eila is taking good care of you."

Sanya nodded and looked to Eila for an instant. Erica pounced.

"Ha! Score!"

Sanya, arms pinned to her sides, cried out in surprise. It was cry cuter than Eila had ever anticipated. Trude, suddenly on her feet and by them, whacked Erica from behind, who recoiled, releasing Sanya's breasts.

"Ow, Trude! That hurt!" Erica rubbed her head. "There's no need for jealousy, you know I have feelings only for you."

"Quit joking around, Hartmann," shouted Trude. "Now go and sit back on the box like a good girl. And sit on your hands if you can't keep them to yourself."

Erica, retreating, looked at Eila and grinned. "Eila… your nose is bleeding. Funny, I thought you liked them b-."

"Sh- Shut up!" Eila wiped her nosebleed with the back of her hand and turned away. "Come on, Sanya." She hurried inside the hangar before Hartmann could embarrass her further, Sanya, now a little flustered and annoyed, in tow. "Ignore Hartmann. She's a jerk and a pervert."

The hangar was gloomy, much to Sanya's relief; the only sunlight inside a weak beam reaching from the mostly closed front sliding doors, illuminating a thick cross-section of the dust inside. As Eila predicted, an engineering crew were loading Sanya's equipment into storage. A gantry crane built into the hangar supports whirred overhead, carrying a crate. Definitely Sanya's; printed Orussian characters littered the box, and one large symbol universally understood: explosive hazard.

Eila stopped still, a vivid premonition exploding inside her mind, playing out in milliseconds. Reflexively, she turned and sprinted toward Sanya, who froze, staring, uncomprehending, as Eila dove toward her. The cables above creaked and snapped, depositing a crate of deadly weight and payload onto the floor below. The box hit the concrete hard, sending splinters flying like shrapnel. The blast came shortly behind, tearing through the hangar with a roar.


End file.
